Clifford jerks and his eyes flash to Blake with a flicker of panic.
“You two talk out here. I’ll wait by the truck.” Blake drops a kiss to the top of my head and stalks back to the Rubicon, resuming his position at the hood.
I lick my lips. “Look. I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna say it.” I meet his eyes to gauge his reaction and then let ’er rip. “I’m pregnant.”
I don’t know what I expected, shock, maybe anger. But I do know that I never in a million years would’ve expected laughter.
Clifford doubles over, his hands braced on his knees as hilarity shakes his shoulders.
I watch him for a few seconds, wondering if maybe he really is still drunk. When he doesn’t stop, I turn to see Blake, who looks about a half-second away from charging Clifford and beating every last chuckle from the guy’s body.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Oh fuck…that’s some good shit.” He stands up and wipes his eyes. “Nice try.”
“This isn’t a joke, Clifford. I’m serious. I’m pregnant.”
He shrugs and grins. “It’s not mine.”
My chin tucks in offense. “Of course it is. You’re the only one I’ve been with.”
“Yeah? Prove it.”
“I…” I shake my head. “How would I do that?”
“Is this about the photos? Some kind of payback or something?”
“No, I’m… God, I just thought you should know.”
“Why? So I’d marry you?”
“Eww. That’s not what I want at all.”
“Then what do you want, Elle? You come over here claiming I knocked you up and I’m supposed to what? Fall to my knees and confess my undying love?”
My eyes heat. “I guess I thought you might be interested in knowing your son or daughter.”
He shrugs like I just told him the weather. “You thought wrong. First, I don’t believe you because the only times we didn’t use protection I pulled out.”
I roll my eyes.
“Second, I think you’re pissed about the pix I dropped on you and your boy toy and you’re trying to get revenge. And third, you have no proof. You got an ultrasound? ’Cause I know guys who’ve had girls claim to be pregnant and it turns out they’re not.”
What kind of woman would lie about being pregnant just to lockdown a man?
He steps in close. “You saw me with another girl and flipped out. I get it. You’re jealous and pissed off. But I’m not stupid enough to fall for this, Elle.”
“This was a mistake,” I whisper.
“Aww, see? She does have a brain.” He laughs and the door behind him swings open to reveal a gorgeous blonde I recognize from all his parties.
She’s wearing a tiny silver dress, heels hooked with two fingers, and there’s dark around her eyes from what I’d guess to be last night’s makeup. Clifford hooks her around the waist and tilts his head, slamming his lips on hers.
I stumble back, my hands tangled in my sweatshirt to keep them from wrapping around Clifford’s neck.
Blake pushes up behind me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Time to go, kiddo. I think you got your answer.”
Both Clifford and his date stare down at me while Blake drags me to the car.
“What did she want?” His date snarls at me while speaking to him.
“Nothing important.”
It’s the last thing I hear before they disappear back inside and slam the door.
Nothing important.
Twenty-one
Killian
“Killer…”
My cheek stings and I’m jostled in my seat. “Hmm…”
“Wake up, dude. We’re landing.”
I force open my eyes and give my brain a second to catch up to my surroundings. Circular window. Tray table. And my mouth tastes like week old tequila and blue cheese. “Water.”
Rex hands me a bottle of water and rubs his temples with a groan. “Look out. My head might explode.”
I down the small water bottle and lick my lips. “How long was I out for?”
“No clue. Last thing I remember was being cut off by the flight attendant; then it was lights out.”
“Were we”—I search my foggy memory—“pirates…at one point?”
Rex’s eyebrows drop low in confusion, and then a slow smile spreads across his face. “Yeah, I was Captain Phallus, Lord of the Deep, and you were—”
“Captain Flaccid, Ruler of the Impototonuis.” I punch the asshole in the bicep. “Fuck you very much for the title, dickhead.”
He rubs his arm, groaning and laughing at the same time. “You weren’t complaining when you were using your swizzle stick as a sword in search for the rare jewel viagranite.”
I burst into laughter, and even though my head feels like it’s being pounded by a jackhammer, it feels good to laugh. “Can’t imagine why they cut us off.”
I flag down the flight attendant for two more waters, and when he delivers them, I catch the look of irritation that flashes in his eyes. I accept the waters politely and gratefully and suck them back. The passengers seated around us shoot weary glances in our direction.
Safe to say we didn’t make any friends on this flight.